It is said poetry is the language of the soul and now, it will be the language of the town of Stony Plain through its first-ever community poet laureate.

During Monday’s governance and priority meeting, the Stony Plain Town Council was briefed by Culture and Tourism development officer Angela Fetch Muzyka about the hiring of Lisa Mulrooney as their ambassador for poetry and literature.

“She will make public presentations of her work and engage residents in literary life of town to raise poetry visibility,” Muzyka said.

The term begins this month and lasts until January 2021. Mulrooney is an immigrant from England and has resided in the community for the last six years. In addition to reading poetry in Edmonton, she also co-founded the Parkland Poets’ Society and serves on the Writers Guild of Alberta Board.

For the artist with a background in teaching, the position is an honour, a legacy spanning across time and countless societies from around the world.

“It is an ancient tradition that goes back [to classical times],” she said. “A modern day version would be a statement by a culture or town of their support for the arts. I am so grateful for this opportunity, it is huge.”

Mulrooney has been writing since she was a toddler and refers to her poetry as something outside of a particular style. According to her website, the work is continuing to evolve and has not yet been published anywhere.

“I have become a collector of very kind rejection letters,” Mulrooney said.

Other duties for her position include appearing once a year for town council and creating a community project that relates to literary arts. Outside of those tasks, Mulrooney also aims to bring people back to the format.

Specifically, she wants to reach those who lost interest when in school.

“My number one goal throughout my term will be to make poetry more accessible to members of the community,” she said. “It is not that thing that we were all terrified of in high school. Poet Billy Collins says high school is a place where poetry goes to die. I would like to think Stony Plain could be the place where poetry goes to come alive.”

Lisa Mulrooney will make her first council appearance as the town poet laureate at an upcoming council meeting. She will keep all the intellectual property rights of materials created in her official capacity and can publish them elsewhere. Though the Town can use one to promote the program.